


Earth

by bougiles



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Pre-Canon, kind of after the war?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 06:53:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4736864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bougiles/pseuds/bougiles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even in the absense of light, she always manages to shine brighter than everything else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Earth

**Author's Note:**

> This is very quick and very small! I hope you all enjoy. This fic is inspired by Saturn by Sleeping at Last.

With a breathless smile, her legs carry themselves through the itchy but soft field, dividing the weeds and grass and flowers between rocks and swords and axes. The Sun, the well known, showers the Earth and the field, making her skin hot and sticky. Pearl drops her weapon and scours with squinted eyes. The sun shone too bright---it was making everything contrast greatly. It was almost as if the edges of her vision were blurred and focused on one thing. Like a dream.

“ _Rose_!” She calls out, letting the word slip through her teeth like taffy. It felt comfortable in her mouth, but was hard to choke out. “Rose, we won! Where are you?”

The view was soft and brilliant and _biting_. She hears something muffled in the distance, so she turns to follow the sound, a blurred pink figure in the distance. Lifting a hand over her eyes, she sees it's Rose, standing there with the running wind, her irridiant trills waving softly with the gusts of warm air, her white, torn dress flapping softly. It makes a song that can lull Pearl to sleep. Her thin lips widen, never has pink made her smile so much. Rose is looking up at the sky, where the Sun and the Moon are floating across from each other. The figure looks up at Pearl, grinning widely, beckoning her arms for Pearl to come closer.

Pearl beams giddily, holding onto her hair so it doesn't tangle into her face. She seems so full of life. “Rose!” She exclaims, starting to climb up the hill, careful not to slip or tumble. Feet light, head even lighter, the day hushed and tiptoeing after her. Even thought it looks like she is a million miles away from Rose, the steps travel quickly and she is just feet, _inches_ away from her. The Sun is slanting across her cheekbones, her breath is slowly and almost unworldly, a smile so soft, dimples gently indented. Her plump lips part, a grin parting, her dimples deepening.

She is too perfect.

Too perfect to even exist.

Pearl gasps for useless air in artificial lungs, breathless from climbing and breathless from the view of Rose casting over her, developing, sharpening, immense. Something kicks inside of Pearl, an nostalgic feeling pulling at her like a puppet. Pearl's words are almost above a whisper.

“I miss you, Rose.”

_Did I really just say that?_

Pearl flings herself into Rose's arms, in which she is gladly wrapped by thick arms, squeezing her gently. She smells like an open field and war, a conduit of something long told. Pearl burries herself into Rose's neck, a chocked sob slipping from her throat, although it sounds relieved. A tear slips down her cheek.

“We won, Rose, we won the war. It's over.”  
“I know, Pearl. I'm _so_ proud of you.”

She couldn't count the reasons why loved Rose so, but this was definitely one of them. She pulls herself barely away from Rose, grinning up at her. Rose is the same, her dark irises stripping Pearl down so that she is barely a molten mess in front of Rose. Pearl wraps her arms around Rose's neck, feeling this moment go by too slow. Rose looks out to the horizon. It's breathtakingly beautiful. An ocean of tall grass ripples with the wind, but far from the field lies a patch of land that is chiefly taken over by trees and woodland. Behind it climbs tall, hazy mountains that look so small from her view.

“Look at this, Pearl, this is what we were fighting for. Isn't it beautiful?”

Pearl gazes slowly up at Rose, whom is admiring the view. A rock drops in her stomach. Worry was dragging, buzzing, pulling at Pearl, like she forgot something. Like she was going to lose something. Pearl's smile fades, in which Rose notices.

“Pearl?”  
“Rose...”

Rose's lids flicker down, her grin fading, as if she was going to confess something. Pearl cocks her head, her breath hitching. No, it doesn't even feel like she's breathing anymore.

“I have to go, Pearl.”  
“What? Where are you going?”  
“I'm sorry, there's no time to explain.”  
“Explain what, _Rose_? What do you mean?”  
“Please, Pearl, remember this and _heed_ my word. You have to remember, you have to understand. I can't be here any longer.”

Rose's hand smoothes over Pearl's shoulder, then to her cheek. Pearl places her hand on the back of Rose's, nuzzling into her hand gently. Another tear slides down her cheek.

“Light carries on endlessly, and you must stay strong, Pearl. We now live in a world where _every_ life is precious. It's rare and beautiful that we exist. Thank you for all that you've done for me.”  
“Rose, please, don't leave me. I'm not ready to let go.”  
“And you never will. I'll be here, always, even when you can't see me. I'll be next to you every second you live and fight.”

With that, she bends down and presses her lips to Pearl's gem. Pearl lets out a small sob.

“Rose, I love you.”  
“I love you too, Pearl. Take care of him for me.”

And with that, everything turns black.

She jerks awake, gasping, soaked in sweat.  
Beside her is a snoring Steven. He looks so small in the moment.

Gloopy tears fell down her cheeks, and the sides of her eyes feel raw, telling her she's been crying in her sleep. She looks around, roaming her hands among the floorboard. She looks at Steven with swimming eyes, bringing her back down to Earth. Her lips tremble, a hand casting down gently to his black curly locks, brushing through it, gingerly.

“It's so rare and beautiful that you exist.”

After that, she lies there next to him for a long time, watching his little pink gem flicker with the Moon's wading light.

 


End file.
